The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1887-10-30
A SURPRISE FOR BROOKLYN.

A NUkPKlNE FUN BkUUkLlN.
PRESIDENT BYRNE OF THE BRO0oKLYv
BASE BALL CLUB OUT GENERlLLED.
President Day orthe New Yerks signs n Cen.
tract with TEN o'Brien-Cres., knewies,
KinrsIew, snd O'Brieu had Never Signed
Contracts with the Metropolitan Club,
and They were ILLEGALLY Reserved-Tho
Athletics Change Hnnds-Other News.
When President Byrne Of the Brooklyn
Base Ball Club bought out the Metropolitan
Club he paid $4,000 and ten per cent. inter-
est in the Brooklyn Club for It. 1t was gen.
orally understood that $4,000 was paid. but
this has been denied by several wcll-known
men formerly connected with the club. The
ten per cent. interest. 1t Is said was considered
by Mr.. Wiman as sort Of white elephant, and
in consideration Of q money payment the
Staten Islanders gavo up that interest in tho
Brooklyn Club. When the property OF tho
Metropolitan Club was turned over to tho
Brooklyn management tho schedule called for
the franchise, equipments, and the following
fourteen men: David Orr. James Knowles,
Clarence Cross, +. Hankinson, W. D. OBrien.
Thomas O'Brien, AL Mays, Paul Radford,
Charles Jones, John H. Lynch, William Eagan.
Thomas Kinslow. William Holbert, James
Donahue.
Tho big deal was the talk Of tho town for
days, and the Brooklyn managers set to work
to sign the best OF the Metropolitan players to
play on the Brooklyn team next season. Tho
good work went on until Friday last, when
Tom O'Brien, who was included in the sale.
signed a contract to play with the New York
Club. Then came out one OF the most aston
fishing pieces Of negligence ever seen in base
ball. 1t may have been an oversight but 1t
will prove costly one to the Brooklyn Club,
for they arc in fair way to lose at least four
OF their newly purchased men. When Tom
O,Brien, Gross. Kinslow. and Knowles wero
engaged by the Metropolitan Club tho man
ayers failed to secure their names to regular
contract, and up to the present time no con-
tracts with these mon havebeen recorded BY
the Secretary OF tho American Association.
1t seems that when those men were engaged
to play with the Metropolitan Club. they signed
an agreement with the club. This agreement
only holds good for thirty days. after which time
the mon can sign to play whore they please.
to DO partly owing to Secretary Wikoff Of tho
Association. for as these men had mover signed
contracts with the club. how could they be re-
served2 There Is not the slightest doubt but
that the reserving OF these men was wholly
i sssee f foa oBrens case can be- ci.d AL
When O'Brlen Joined the Metropolitans last
August he did so IN an dniormai way merely
not asked to sign a regular contract. and never
did SO. His acceptance OF terms and advance
ered and their failure to propery
aign him made him a free man after Oct. 20.
Il IL. true that the men named were reserved
by the Metropolitan management, but that
reservation cannot hold as 1t is certainly out
Of the power OF any club to reserve man who
T FSH startinr Proceeding will no doubt cause
York manager has decidedly the best Of It.
sign sign according to the law Of the Assoc Ation.
the Board Of Arbitration must declare the con.
quite plain. and should trouble arise as to his
VIII the New YORK Gub It vii
y Section oct 50 Of the American Association Con-
stitution prescribes that: Any final agree.
see nns b
tract adopted By the Association g..
forms so in this eonstuo
shall be eligible to play in an Assocntian game"
made Tor
days. 1t is also stipulated that an agreement
made by telegraph or other courtesy between a
vid s That Within thirty days from the date Of
making such agreement the club and player
execution Of contract in the form prescribed
stitution, but it also prescribes that It shall be
the duty of club, within ten days after it
shall have entered into contract with q
player. to transmit said contract to the Presi-
dent of the Association. Tho national agree
ment covers tho case when it says that every
ton days after its execution. to the Secretary Of
the association Of which the contracting club
r. ,yo,jj saa,, fr,,, This tb ot tho n o1ot;oto
with O'Brien and the other men were carried
on regardless of all laws OF the Association.
and that the four named were free to
had agreed to play with the club. 1t hardly
seems possible that such mon as Walter
take, yet 1t was made, and Brooklyn will be
forced to suffer by it, 1t will be blow to the
men on The es ap hsy at the
tho tho fact was they we're not was also very
that the men were reserved That the reserve
rule cannot be enforced is. of course. patent.
Its conditions cannot be imposed on q man not
saer ar WSos action n0
Issuing 2 notice of such resssryatkon when
resulted in the discovery that tho men were
not under contract. and he you'd have prevent;
ed apy trouble for the Association IL club OF
The players make no secret OF their freedom
to sign where they please; and At the game last
Dunuay 1t FluReWOOu luo lOlOWlup CONVEX
sation was overheard:
Jim Knowles-When would you like to have
me sign, Mr.. Byrne?
Mr.. Byrne-Oh. there is plenty Of time be-
'T Know I you know that never signed
a regular contract. and it may be too late then.
Mr.. Byrne-Oh, ! guess not; Mr.. Watrous
reserved you, and he must have known what
President Day Of the New York Club said:
The case is very simple; although under the
circumstances 1t does look rough on Brooklyn.
found that the man had never signed n con-
tract. with the Metropolitans, as prescribed by
the Association, and that he was eligible to
sign with our club. ! Their made terms with
be no trouble. There cant be. He was not q
member Of the club thirty.one days after he
management had to file his contract within
thirty days, and falling to do so really set the
man at liberty; When the Brooklyn Club
bought out the Metropolitans 1t probably did
not inquire into the case. and SO reserved the
men under n misrepresentation"
Knowles may sign with tho Now York Club
also, but it Is not certain that he will do SO.
The players say that they feel sorry for Mr..
Byrne, but thoy will, Of course, go where they
get the most money. In case all four OF the
men refuse to sign with the Brooklyn Club the
loss will be heavy, for the Brooklyn managers
will be- compelled to get new men to I'LL their